Picking Through Trash, Slum Resident Finds $1,400 – and Blessings After Returning It

Last Friday, Bruno Temistocles withdrew $1,400 in cash for an upcoming trip to Europe. The money was still in an envelope with his personal information written on the front when his brother-in-law, a 7-year-old kid, put it in the trash by mistake.

That same night, a poverty-stricken man named Joao Rodrigues was looking for recyclables in the trash of Bruno’s building when he found the envelope. Despite his living conditions, Joao said he never thought about keeping the money.

“It took me some time to call Bruno because I couldn’t find a payphone to reach the owner,” Joao told Globo TV.

But Joao’s fortune didn’t stop with the new job. Today, Gabriel o Pensador, a famous Brazilian singer, had a concert in a nearby city and was touched when he saw the story on TV. So he decided to make a quick fundraiser with his friends and local producers and gathered $3,000. With the cash in hands, he visited the slum and gave Joao the money.

“This man’s character is amazing and I wanted to tell him while looking in his eyes that he deserves this cash”, said the singer.